Page 12 of The Rancher's Bride
She looked at the ravine once more. Water from the creek had filled it, and it was already lapping at the edges of the trail. She couldn’t believe they found little Hope Davis here just a few months ago. The horse thieves had taken the two-year-old and put her in the ravine before racing up the trail to escape. Bethany knew exactly how deep it was and she had no desire to go swimming in the churning waters.
Turning around in the saddle, she couldn’t see Devin behind her. How would she explain to Pa if she lost his brother as well? She squinted her eyes, ignoring the raindrops as they battered her duster and skin. Each cold droplet was a sharp needle reminding her of her quest. Finally, she saw his shadow approaching, his felt hat blocking the rain as he pushed towards her.
The swollen creek roared beside her. It’s murky waters churning like an angry beast. Hopping down from Lucy, shemoved to the bend in the trail, not wanting to lose sight of Uncle Devin. As she stepped closer, the earth trembled beneath her feet and the deafening roar of water crashing against rocks filled her ears.
The once calm creek had turned into a monstrous force, churning and swirling with muddy debris. Bethany could feel her heart racing as she looked for any sign Tommy may have been there. Lucy tugged on the reins, snorting as she stepped backwards, away from the creek, her eyes wide with fear. Bethany tightened her grip on the reins, speaking soft words of comfort to the frightened mare. The ground beneath them quivered once again.
Her foot hit something solid amongst the rain-soaked ground. Looking down, she saw Tommy’s coat tangled in a thick branch protruding from the water’s edge. Her heart sank at the sight of it. The torn and muddy red fabric unmistakably belonged to Tommy. The sight of the familiar garment hanging lifelessly on the branch made Tommy’s disappearance painfully real.
She glanced over the saddle to see Devin was closer. Dropping Lucy’s reins, Bethany turned and scrambled towards the coat. Biting back fear, she stretched out her hand, trying to reach for it. The roar of water seemed to drown all else, filling her world with endless noise. She reached out a trembling hand to touch the ragged edges, her heart sinking with the realization her brother had been here, struggling against the same merciless elements now surrounding her.
“Tommy,” she whispered, her voice breaking with emotion, and she waved her fingers towards the red fabric. “Please, Lord,” she whispered, tears streaming down her cheeks. “Help me. Just a bit further.”
As her fingers grazed the damp, heavy sleeve of the coat,she gripped the fabric tightly between two fingers. Her muscles strained as she leaned forward and tried to lift the soaking fabric. With a grunt, she pushed her free arm against the soft earth beneath her to sit up. With a final push to sit up, the ground gave way, and she tumbled into the frothy waters below.
The frigid liquid enveloped her body in a shocking embrace, dragging her down into its depths with a force that took her breath away. Gasping for air, she fought against the relentless current and struggled to keep her head above water. Panic surged through her like a wild horse, bucking and kicking at the walls of her chest as she broke through the surface and gulped air before being pulled back under by the weight of her skirt.
She lifted her arms above the water’s surface and used them to keep herself afloat. “Someone, please help!” she screamed, but the deafening rush of water drowned out her desperate cries. The unforgiving current wasted no time in sweeping her away as she struggled against the unrelenting force, desperately trying to stay above the suffocating grasp of the water. Her lungs burned with each breath, begging for air while the icy water threatened to take it all away.
“Lord, save me,” Bethany prayed, her words torn apart by chattering teeth and desperate gasps for breath. “I can’t do this alone.”
Did her brother experience something like this? Her mind raced with thoughts, consumed by the possibility Tommy’s last moments were similar. The thought only fueled her determination, pushing her to fight harder against the raging current. Despite her weakening limbs and blurred vision, she refused to succumb to despair. She silently begged for a different fate. “I can’t die like this,” she pleaded in her mind. “My ma couldn’t bear it.”
“Bethany!”
Amidst the chaos of the storm, she strained to hear her uncle’s voice calling to her. Her hair whipped wildly around her face as the branches of the trees clawed at her, hindering her attempts to turn and see him. She fought against the powerful current of water which threatened to sweep her away, desperately reaching for anything to hold on to, but her wet fingers slid uselessly off slick bark and slimy leaves.
“Uncle Devin,” she called, her eyes darting between the merciless waters and the unforgiving landscape around her. “Lord, guide me.” Cold water rushed down her throat as she spoke. It went down quickly, and she couldn’t breathe. She spluttered and coughed, trying to expel the liquid from her lungs as her body convulsed to catch a breath.
“Hold on, Bethy, girl!”
As if an answer to her prayer, a low-hanging branch appeared within reach, careening in the storm. With every ounce of strength left in her, Bethany stretched her arm towards it, her fingers trembling with exhaustion.
“Almost... there...” she gasped; her body racked with shivers as the icy water leeched away her remaining warmth. The branch seemed to sway further from her grasp, taunting her, but she refused to give up.
“Father, grant me strength,” she prayed, her voice barely a whisper amidst the turmoil that surrounded her. Her arm shook with effort, but inch by inch, she drew closer to the branch.
Her fingers brushed against the rough bark, and in that moment, Bethany clung to it as if it were her last lifeline. She exhaled a shaky breath, her heart pounding in her chest as she held onto the branch for dear life. She closed her eyes and prayed for a miracle as the raindrops mixed with tears streamed down her face.
Braving a storm to chase after goats was not on Ben’s list of things he wanted to do. If it hadn’t been for Tessa’s concern for their safety, he would have let the silly animals fend for themselves in the rain.
Mrs. Chapman’s words rang true in the small town, as it was common knowledge that Ben’s goats were notorious escape artists. The mischievous herd had once again fled their confines in the barn and were currently gallivanting around who knows where. Now he was scrambling to find them.
It would serve them right if they drowned in the ravine,he thought. That wasn’t true, though. He wouldn’t want any of them to perish. He’d just rather be inside in front of the fire right now with a hot cup of coffee waiting out the storm.
As he made his way from the small barn towards the ravine on the edge of the property, he stole a glance over his shoulder at the warm, golden light streaming through the window. Tessa pressed her nose against the glass, waving her small hand at him before disappearing back into the cozy farmhouse.
The small flock of ducks were in their element, reveling in the rain as they splashed and quacked in the puddles beneath the leafy trees. Their bright feathers shone in contrast to the dull, wet earth, and they eagerly pecked at worms that wriggled free from the damp ground.
As Ben trudged through the fields, he couldn’t help but wonder where on earth the goats could have gone. He knew one thing for sure: they weren’t on the Hartman property, as the ravine was too full of water from recent rains to allow them to cross over.
If not there, then where?
Perhaps they had made their way into the dense woods, or even worse, headed towards the treacherous hills in search of greener pastures. Whatever the case may be, Ben knew he wouldn’t be looking much longer for them as the weather was getting worse.
He tried to convince Tessa the animals were smart enough to seek shelter, but she insisted he go out at that moment and find them. His eyes scanned the property for any sign of the elusive creatures. Through the haze of the falling rain, he spied a man almost running along the other side of the ravine, tugging a horse behind him.
Ben jogged closer and cupped his hands around his mouth. “Hey,” he called. “What are you doing?” He wondered if the man’s horse was hurt, which could explain why he wasn’t riding it. The man yelled something, but Ben couldn’t hear it over the rushing water. Shaking his head, Ben cupped his ear and yelled again. “Can’t hear you!”
